From the vault – Friday, February 7, 1975

The Gulf News

Published: Feb 01 at 2:01 p.m.

Most people these days, in reflecting on the soft manner which is typical of today’s lifestyle, often point out to the fact that we are being spoiled by all this easy living. This may be true in some instances, but for Aerial King and Maurice Genge of Gander, the ability to toughen up against the elements has remained with them. On Saturday morning, with the temperature plunging to the minus ten degree mark, both gentlemen hopped aboard their open punt at the MOT Marine Dock and made a chilly run across Gander Lake to check on their rabbit snares. This has been a common practice for the two since last Fall and will remain routine all winter unless of course mother nature gets the better of Gander Lake and ‘she’ freezes over. In the background, the clouds of mist rise from the lake surface, a phenomenon which is only noted when the air temperatures are extremely cold. - Gulf News file photo / Feb. 7, 1975

Flipping through the Feb. 7, 1975 edition of The Gulf News is to glimpse past achievement.

The Orange Lodge was celebrating its centennial, the United Church was honouring its Canadian Girls in Training, and 16 St. James students received awards of excellence, while the Saints recorded three shutouts in high school hockey to keep them at first place atop the league.

A letter to the editor declared CBC Television was incompetent and incompatible in Western Newfoundland, while an editorial lauded the return of the coal industry to Cape Breton.

Topping the news were highlights from council chambers, which was focused on a harbour board, a complaint from a local business about a rival start up, and a public parking headache.

When it comes to weather not much has changed in over 40 years, as folks dealt with yet another winter storm.

Storm lashes West Coast

Another snowstorm, one of the worst of winter, hit the west coast this week, reducing visibility to nil, forcing schools to close and stopping almost all vehicular traffic.

The storm, accompanied by below-zero temperatures, struck Monday night and continued until late Tuesday.

All schools in the Channel-Port aux Basques area, with the exception of the school at Isle aux Morts, were forced to remain closed on Tuesday.

As a result of the storm, eight minor accidents were reported to the local RCMP detachment. No serious injuries resulted.

An eastbound freight train collided with a tractor-trailer at a railway crossing at Tompkins at a time when visibility was near zero. Minor damages resulted.

Temperatures dropped to 10 below zero Monday night and managed to reach only three above on Tuesday.

High winds forced snow ploughs off the road in the afternoon and at Barachois Hill a tractor-trailer jack-knifed across the Trans Canada and blocked the highway. It wasn’t cleared until Wednesday when the storm abated.